You can instantly compare prices and shop from retailers that don't have a brick-and-mortar store in your area, but shipping something out of state or from another country can dramatically alter the price of any product price you see online.

Retailers realize that these shipping fees can be a deterrent to making a purchase, though, and have come up with incentives: free shipping on your purchase after you reach a certain price point (on average that free shipping price point was $82 this year); free shipping promotions around retail holidays; or free shipping offers on products they are looking to clear out.

While these options sound appealing on the surface, they may ultimately cause you to buy things you don't need simply to qualify for free shipping. Luckily, there are simply tricks to help you get free shipping on virtually everything you buy online.

1. Ask for a Free Shipping CodeMany times, retailers have free shipping codes that will work at checkout, but they don't publicly display them. To get access to these codes, sometimes all it takes is a simple inquiry. Email the company, tweet to it, or make use of on-site chat boxes. Once a retailer knows you are interested in a product, they will be more likely to provide you with an free shiping incentive to complete your purchase.

2. Add Extra Items to Qualify for Free ShippingIf a retailer does offer a free shipping incentive once you reach a certain price point, add extra items to reach that limit. Try to purchase items you'll need in the future, or items that your household needs, such as extra batteries on Amazon. If worse comes to worse, you can always qualify for free shipping on your order and then return items you discover you really don't need.

3. Order for Free In-Store PickupMany mainstream retailers with locations across the country will offer the option of in-store pickup, which allows you to avoid shipping costs. This tactic works best for items that are easily transportable and retailers with locations near your home. Ordering online and opting for in-store pickup is not the same as just going to the retailer and buying in-store. Rather this method allows you to make use of online-only deals and coupons, while also avoiding shipping fees.

4. Take Advantage of Price-Matching PoliciesTarget, Walmart, Best Buy, Toys R Us, and many other retailers offer price-matching policies to incentivize you to buy through them. You have to read the fine print, but many price-matching policies will offer you the product you want at the lowest available online price, and will do away with shipping fees in the process. It's not every store, so it's important to check ahead of time, but when it works, it does away will shipping charges automatically.

5. Sign Up For Retailer Cards Certain retailers offer membership programs that provide free shipping, along with other buying incentives. For example, Target REDCard is technically a debit card that connects to your existing checking account and offers a free signup. REDCard Members receive free shipping at Target.com, a free 30-day return policy, and 5 percent off all purchases.

6. Shop Through ShopRunner And Score Free 2-Day ShippingShoprunner is similar to Amazon Prime, but extends free 2-day shipping offers to a larger quantity of online retailers. The service requires an annual membership fee of $79, and offers a monthly payment option of $8.95 per month. To get free shipping, you can shop products at ShopRunner.com and check out at retailer checkouts, or start your shopping at retailer sites and select ShopRunner qualifying products. ShopRunner also provides a complimentary free membership to American Express cardholders, member--only deals, free returns, and a 30-day free trial offer to test the service before you buy.

7. Search For A Free Shipping Promo CodeOnline coupon codes for free shipping are out there if you take the time to look. Simply search the retailer and words "Free shipping" to find valid promo codes. A great way to start your search is by visiting FreeShipping.org, which is dedicated to helping shoppers find free shipping and other promo codes at online retailers. Another trick is to instal a browser extension, such as PriceBlink to automatically discover site-specific coupon codes, such as free shipping, when you land on any retailer site.

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Kara Kamenec is the commerce editor for Ziff Davis, and in-house online shopping writer for PCMag. She is a new media and e-commerce writer with a focus on online consumer advocacy and digital retail innovation. At Ziff Davis, she expands and integrates commerce-focused editorial into various digital properties. On PCMag she covers e-commerce, social commerce, online shopping, and retail tech trends. Prior to joining Ziff Davis, Kara covered the social commerce and online deal industries for a variety of media publications. She has reported on... More »

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